From time immemorial, Zaporozhye Cossacks have been related to devils not only by their bold disposition and resinous forelocks. Turks and Tatars, having endured fear from these freedom-loving citizens, called them nothing but Shaitan Urus, which meant "Russian devils". And the rumor stubbornly endowed the Cossacks with supernatural properties.
MIRACLES, YES AND ONLY
In the Zaporizhzhya Sich, every second person was a kharacternik (this is how the Cossacks called the witch, healer, spiritual mentor). And they really could do a lot: they spoke wounds, saw treasures through the ground, put the dead on their feet, caught balls with their caftan halves on the fly, came out of the water dry, could in no time be transported to the other side of the steppe (to the horror of the enemies).
Residents of the Dnieper villages recalled more fantastic things: “It used to be that the Cossacks would lay felt on the Dnieper and walk along it like on the ground. And when Katerina decided to bring them under her authority, they resisted. And, to show their strength, they threw felt at the sea, took the earth into their boots, poured vodka into the cask and went to Turkey. They float on felt, sing songs. One word - characteristics."
Many legends and legends circulated among the people and about individual kharaternik Cossacks. Here is one of them: “There lived a character named Fesko on Velikiy Lugu. The Cossacks were afraid of him and very much obeyed. Fesko would come to the patient and cut the black radish. As soon as the white juice is let in the radish, it will become very bad for a person, and as soon as the black juice goes, the patient dies. And then Fesko will conjure, and the radish will begin to absorb the juice into itself, and you look, and the dead has come to life!.."
They also talked about a certain Sava, who looked into the ground as if into water, and even the deepest treasure could not hide from his gaze. The money went into the hands of the three Canziberi brothers, but there was no way to return them - the Canziberi were so fascinated that they could not even be approached. Dzherelevsky himself forged guns and knew how to speak them so that the quickest game could not get away from him.
And how did the cossacks get it from the Cossacks … They used to chase after kharacters, so there was nowhere to hide. The Cossacks put spears in a circle in the middle of the field and, by an effort of will, enter a special psycho-energetic state, when their intention becomes reality. Lyakhs see an oak grove in the middle of the field and drive by. Such amazing abilities saved the Cossacks from enemies more than once. They say that after such efforts, they slept for three days in a row - they recovered their strength.
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There were people among the Zaporozhye Cossacks who possessed an extraordinary power of suggestion, who knew how to "send a dream and replace people." With this hypnotic power, they helped their fellow tribesmen to cope with ailments, healing their wounds received in battle, or influenced the enemy. Somehow the Russian army could not defeat the Turks. Then the tsar summoned a Cossack-Zaporozhets for help. He raised his hand, and immediately there was an enemy core in it. And then he looked around the enemy army, and a miracle happened. Here is how the legend tells about him: “The tsar looked: the Turk was chopping himself, he raised his hand against himself. Great dust flew up, black crows screamed, and then everything was quiet. The tsar looked, and there is not a single living Turk, they chopped themselves up, and the crows peck at their eyes.
What is the truth in these traditions and legends? Today it is already difficult to judge. In addition, the often resourceful and savvy Cossacks, in order to intimidate the enemy, his preliminary psychological treatment, themselves spread rumors about their miraculous deeds and magical transformations. But the characterists died long and hard. Their transition to another world was agonizing for those around them. Often, believing that the chanterellers communicated with evil spirits during their lifetime, they were buried without a priest. And to whom they also beat an aspen stake in the chest - so as not to take it into their heads to disturb the living.
CHILDREN OF WATERS
There were no women in the Sich, so they used to say in the old days that all the Cossacks were from fish (born fish). Whether it is true or not, you judge, but the Cossacks, indeed, quickly found a common language with fish and all sorts of other inhabitants. Having caught a small otter, the Zaporozhets tamed her like a cat. And soon the otter obediently lay down at his feet or slept with him under the clothes with which the Cossack covered himself. Having raised the animal, the Zaporozhets trained her to fish: the otter entered the river, caught fish there and brought it to the Cossack.
In the heat, the Cossacks jumped headlong into the Dnieper and did not appear on the surface for a very, very long time. The French philosopher Fournier, who visited Constantinople at the end of the 16th century, testified: “I have been told absolutely extraordinary stories about the attack of the Northern Slavs on Turkish cities and fortresses. The Slavs appeared unexpectedly, from the bottom of the sea, and horrified the soldiers. I would consider these stories to be fiction, if I did not personally talk with people who have seen how the Cossacks swim across the sea under water.
Commenting on this and other similar evidence, the 19th century historian Montgerie wrote: Obviously, the Zaporozhye Cossacks used rowing boats capable of submerging in water and covering such long distances, and then sailing back. Cossack pipes are no less legendary. It turns out that the Cossacks rarely fought with a gun in their hands. They trusted more "flying pipes", or simply flyers. Before the battle, the Cossacks set up tripods on which they attached long shafts. When a fuse was brought to such a chubuk, the tube took off like a rocket. A fiery tail stretched behind her, terrifying the enemies.
What could such rocket shanks represent? Obviously, ceramic tubes, which had several chambers connected to each other. The rear chamber was the largest, and the gunpowder, burning in it, pushed the tube forward. Falling, the shank jumped six times and exploded the same number of times. Even Academician Korolev was interested in the design of the Cossack pipe.
WHERE WILL WE HIDE THE TREASURE?
The Cossacks returned from overseas campaigns with rich booty. But what to do with the treasures obtained in battles and plundered if the Cossack does not have a stake or a yard? There was only one thing left: it would be safer to hide the trophies in their native land. Until now, stories about valuable finds can be heard from the old-timers of the Dnieper region. Many geographical names testify to this. So. there are three Scrub rivers on the territory of the former Zaporizhzhya Sich. The treasures were called scrub. And the French engineer Boplan argued that the Cossacks had everything very clearly organized in terms of treasures: the Cossack Army Scrubnica was located slightly below the mouth of the Chertomlyk River, on a rather large island where the Cossacks built their boats.
In those days, the spicy was surrounded by a hundred or two islets. scattered randomly along the spilled river. In Chertomlyk, the Cossacks hid many guns, but where exactly, no one could or did not want to indicate. Under the water, not only cannons are hidden, but also plundered gold. Money is taken from the treasure only if absolutely necessary. Each ka-zak has its own secret corner on the island, and, returning from the campaign, the Cossacks divide the booty in Skrabnitsa and hide everything they get under the water, excluding things that are damaged by it.
THE SECRET OF LONGEVITY
According to the legend, a long time ago the Zaporozhye Cossacks found out the secret of longevity and begged death for an extra hundred years. It happened that a guest-stranger would look into the Cossack hut, and he was met by a hundred-year-old man: his eyes were burning, a forelock of resin, a gun in his hands.
- Who are you? the traveler asks.
- Zaporozhets - the grandfather proudly answers.
- And who is there tossing and turning on your stove? - asks the guest.
- I don’t know how long I remember myself, he lives with us.
And then an angry voice would sound from the stove: What the hell are you, damn son, I'm your grandfather? You began to lose your memory early on. It, of course, is all stories. But there is also documentary evidence of the phenomenal Cossack longevity. So, the last Cossack koshevoy Peter Kalnyshevsky after the fall of the Sich was exiled by Catherine II to Solovki. Then he died. The inscription on the tombstone is preserved: Here is buried the body in Bose of the deceased koshevoy of the former Zaporozhye formidable Sich Cossacks ataman Peter Kalnyshevsky, who was exiled to this monastery by the highest order in 1776 for humility. Died 1803 October 31 days, Saturday. 112 years old, a pious death, good …
Vlad STROGOV